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Latitude: 56.5399 / 56°32'23"N
Longitude: -2.6471 / 2°38'49"W
OS Eastings: 360304
OS Northings: 738839
OS Grid: NO603388
Mapcode National: GBR VT.GTDN
Mapcode Global: WH8S7.9WQB
Entry Name: Cotton of Balcathie, unenclosed settlement 550m WSW of
Scheduled Date: 23 February 1998
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM7071
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: settlement
Location: Arbirlot
County: Angus
Electoral Ward: Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim
Traditional County: Angus
The monument comprises an unenclosed settlement of prehistoric date, visible as a series of cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs.
The monument lies on level ground in arable farmland at around 20m OD. It comprises a dark disc-shaped cropmark measuring about 15m in diameter, and, immediately to the W, a ring-ditch measuring about 12m in diameter. There appears to be a short linear cropmark extending from the W side of the disc, which may represent the remains of a souterrain.
The ring-ditch and disc-shaped cropmark represent the remains of timber roundhouses characteristic of settlement during the Iron Age. Souterrains are semi-subterranean structures generally regarded as having been used for storage in the later prehistoric period and are generally found in association with the remains of above-ground structures.
The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is circular with a diameter of 65m, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric settlement and economy. Its importance is increased by its proximity to other monuments of potentially contemporary date.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as NO 63 NW 6.
Aerial Photographs used:
RCAHMS (1983) AN/6789 NO63NW5, 6.
RCAHMS (1983) AN/7023 NO63NW6.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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